Fluid control valve for turbodrill



y 13, 1965 s J. GIANELLONI, JR 3,194,325

FLUID common VALVE FOR TURBODRILL Original Filed July 18, 1957 Moo ATTORNEY INVENTOR 545w JgmNsuoAqzk.

ml w x/1v? United States Patent 3,194,325 FLUID CONTROL VALVE FOR TURBODRILL Sabin J. Gianelloni, .lr., R0. Drawer 1870, Baton Rouge, La.

Original application July 18, 1957, Ser. No. 672,722, now Patent No, 2,963,099, dated Dec. 6, 1960. Divided and this application Aug. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 46,6ll2

2 Claims. (Cl. 175--26) This invention relates to a turbodrill and is a division of application Serial No. 672,722, filed July 18, 1957, now Patent 2,963,099.

A turbodrill consists essentially of a tubular turbodrill body usually suspended from a drill pipe which applies mud or other fluid to a turbine which, in turn, drives a bit. Control heretofore has been by varying the total quantity of mud supplied to the turbodrill body.

It is the general object of the invention to provide an improved turbodrill.

Another object is to provide improved means for controlling a turbodrill.

It is another object to provide an improved turbodrill wherein the quantity of fluid supplied to the driving turbine is controlled automatically so as to maintain a fairly uniform speed.

A further object is to provide an improved turbodrill wherein a substantially constant quantity of mud may be supplied to the drill bodyand the quantity actually passing through the turbine determined in accordance with the power needs at a particular constant speed.

Another object is to provide a turbodrill with means for limiting the speed of the turbine to a constant speed in accordance with the need for varying power torque of a bit.

Another object is to provide a turbodrill wherein a bit is regulated so as to be maintained at a speed below a predetermined limit.

A more specific object is to provide improved methods for controlling the quantity of mud passing through the turbine for driving the same.

Another object is to provide a turbodrill having means for conducting all of the mud suppplied to the body to the bit while only a portion thereof passes through the turbine for driving the bit.

Still another object is to provide a turbodrill having means for controlling the action of the turbine in accordance with the power needs for a bit to maintain a constant predetermined speed.

A further object it is provide a turbodrill with means for controlling the quantity of a fluid such as mud to the turbine in accordance with the thrust on the bit in the hole.

A still further object is to provide a turbodrill with means for controlling the quantity of mud to the turbine in accordance with the torque imparted to a bit.

Other objects and various features of novelty and invention will be pointed out hereinafter or will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

Briefly stated, in a preferred form of the invention, there is a turbodrill body and within the body there is a rotatable shaft which is shown as an integral part of the bit shaft. This bit shaft is supported on suitable bearings, one being a thrust bearing and as many radial bearings as may be required. A fluid mud turbine in the drill body drives this shaft and rotates the bit. The mud, after passing the turbine, is conducted to the bit and functions in the usual fashion. Generally speaking, the turbine of a turbodrill has been controlled heretofore merely by controlling the quantity and pressure of the mud reaching the drill body. In the improved turbodrill, part of the mud entering the body may pass directly to the bit and part may first pass through the turbine and then to the bit.

3,194,325 Patented July 13, 1965 "ice The invention relates mainly to the control of the turbine and the improved functioning of the turbodrill.

The improved turbodrill will be shown and described as embodied in a more or less schematic or kinematic form, rather than in a structurally accurate and complete design.

In the drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary use of a central vertical sectional view through a turbodrill illustrating features of the invention;

1G. 2 is a sectional View, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is 'a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating another modification;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 55 of FIG. 3.

In the form shown in FIG. 1 there is turbodrill body 5 secured to and preferably suspended from a drill pipe 6 which, in the form shown, supplies mud to the turbodrill. Within the body 5 is a hollow shaft 7 which, as shown, is an integral part of the shaft carrying a bit 8 of any usual or desired form. The shaft 7 is supported by a thrust bearing 10 which may consist of rubber or other material, such as the discs 1111 secured to the body 5 and coacting discs 12 secured to the shaft 7, and the thrust bearing 10 is arranged to have passages therethrough such as the passages 13 for the free passage of fluid such as mud entering through the drill pipe 6.

Within the body 5 is a turbine for driving the shaft 7. This turbine, as illustrated, consists of rotor blades 14 carried by the shaft 7 and stator blades 15 carried by the body 5. Normally, mud entering through the pipe 6 passes down through the body 5 and through the thrust bearing passages 13 and the turbine blades. Thus, by means of the turbine blades, the shaft 7 is rotated, and of course, the bit 8 is rotated with it. A lower radial bearing 16 supports the shaft 7 at the bottom, and there may be as many other radial bearings as maybe required.

It should be noted that the turbine blades 14 in a particular horizontal plane are attached to a separate ring 14:: as illustrated by the cross hatching in a different direction for successive rings in FIG. 1, and each of the rings 14:: is secured to the shaft 7 by means of a key 14b extending vertically as shown in FIG. 1.

Mud, after being passed through the turbine, enters passages 1'7 in the lower end of the shaft 7, which passages connect with the central bore 18 through the shaft leading to the bit 8 in the usual fashion. In turbodrills of the prior art, the speed of the bit 8 has been controlled by controlling the volume and pressure of mud issuing from the drill pipe 6. These prior methods, however, have been somewhat unsatisfactory as a control, particularly when the bit encounters different formations.

By the above mentioned prior method of control, the bit will run at excessive speeds through certain formations and at a much reduced speed through other formations. This invention relates particularly to the method of and means for controlling the speed of the turbine. In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1, this is done by regualting thequantity of mud passing through the turbine without limiting the total flow of mud to the bit, which total quantity is often required for proper drilling.

In the form illustrated in FIG. 1, the mud entering the body 5 through the drill pipe 6 may device and go through two passages, one passage 18 by-passes the turbine and the second passage 19 leads directly to the turbine. By controlling the flow of fluid through the upper end of the bypass passage 18, the part of the fluid through the passage 19 and the turbine is controlled so as to control the turtom of the drill pipe 6 forms a valve carrier 22.

bine speedi When the upper'end of'the passage 18 is i closed entirely, all of the mud entering the body passes through the passage 19 and 'goes directly to and through the turbine for driving the same. When, the upper end of the'p'assageIS isabout Wide" open, much of the mud passes through the passage '1S, thus bypassing the turbine; there-' fore, the turbine runs at somerninirnun'n speed. 7

To' maintainthe speed of the turbine and'thebit'S ape prdximatelyconstant,means isiprovided within the body '5 for controlling the'by-pass passagelfia Such means, in

ftheform illustrated in FIG. 1, will now be described in .detail. r I v Astufiing box 20; is provided at the upper end of the} body 5 through which the drillpipe'6' extends and in which itisslidable. t The body 5 has an abutment bushing 21 7 bine is suspended above therbottom; the spring 24 is comin the parent applieation SN." 672,722, quantityiof mud 'reachingi'the' turbine is controlled bythe thrust on, f

the bit, as illustrated in FIG; 1., Therefore, {when the turpressed' and the valve 261isflifteddromtheseat 27 permitsecured thereto (part of the-stuffing box'ztl and the bott This"valvefcarri'er22 at the'bottom'of-the drill pipe .6 is'a continuation thereof and'hasia' shoulder flange23, and

a compression. spring 24 .is interposed between the abut-. ment-bushin'g 21 and the shoulder 23 atthe bottom of'the' s drill pipe 6. Thus, the enti're' weight of the tu'rbodrill is carried by the drill pipe 6 'th'roughfthe 'comp'ression'spring J The valve carrier '22 has passages 25 therein'for'the passage of fluid from the drill pipe' tothe body 5 andto the Jpassage 19 leading to the turbine, as heretofore described.

' This valve carrier 22 carries a'valve member 26 to coact 'with'a valve' seat 27 on the upper end of the tubular,

shaft 7.

As best seen in FIG. 2 "ofithe' drawings,- ihe tvalve' 'c arrier 22 is substantially square in" crosssectiongandthe upper 7 end of this valve-carrier 2 2 is threaded .nnto thef lofwer 'end of the ,pipe 6, as illus tratedyby thetnnnieralfzd in:

FIG. 1. r

In the modified fdrriiphbivnirfFIG. '3,'the1 quantity of V fluid for driving the'turbine is controlled not 'by the speed nor the actual hanging" positioniof 'theztnrbo'drill',"but by j the torque producedduringgthe drilling operation. lnfthe 1 form shown in FIGQSg'the .turbodrillbody5a-has a bush-: 5 in'g'or -gland 3t throughvvhich a 'drill'pipeteatextends and 7 is, rotatable. 1 This 'drill pipe 56 61 extends "down [into the body 5a and has lateral'jpassages 1+31 for .cohdufiliii fluidmud 'out of, thepipe tiain'to theibodyfSdanddown to the turbineblades 14-15 .of thesametype similar to that'heret'ofore describedJQjThe shaft-97a.'passes through the thrust bearing 10 and hasthe pasag es 17-1Z f0'r con 7 same ducting fluid into the p js ageils iandgto thei'bit 1th asexplainedalrea'dyabove, I V The upper end of'the' shaft 7a' (which is,

vertical-grooveslfi5 j in the sides of the. body' 5aa,

The endof the drill pipe" 6a is; formed Wlth biasglfooves 36''for rece'iving thefpin 34, that uponrelative rotation Now,' it may beseen that as a, drilleriadvances thedrill pipe 6, .the flangejp23 acts'ag'ainst a limit flange 23a,'t at which'point the valve26 is 'substanti'allyfclosed' to. permit,

minimum bleed through-pa'ssageHQ Therefore-under 1' this operation, most of the fluid is forced through the turbine.

, When the turbodr'ill is. working properly, the

ing normal drilling. r V Y t *By"normal drilling it is meant that the speed is anything less than runaway speedrthatqconventional turbo drills encounterwhen little or no resistance is metdby the" drill. .Aslong aslthe driller follows the turbodrillby lowtir'iue to operate as described, r If the driller fails'tolower the but during this time the valve seat 27 is drawing away 'from the valve member 26 and more and more mud is fby-pass'edthrough the'hollow shaft 7. Therefore, the- .speedof the-turbine and bit'isdecreased. 1

sneedof the bit,"as in the form of the invention claimed g I .The thrust on the bit is caused by the weight of the turbodrill body anddrill and any other parts carried there- }by. All parts of thedrill body and the bit are'suspended 1 on the dr'illpi'pe through the spring '24. a valve,26' V is about'closedand nearly all'of the mud. passes through the turbine to drive theibit. The speedis kept normal by i the amount-of weight carried by the turbodrill set up durdrill pipe, the drill icontinues downward and the spring 24 starts to compress; During this time the drill operatesagainst progressively V less resistancebecause it is not being advanced at a speed '7 commensurate With-tl1e cutting of the material being i'drilled. Therefore, the speed normally WOlllCl'lIlCfGflSC,

1 fering the drill pipe-as drillingiproceeds, the drill will'con-- 'mud'will be lay-passed through the,'valve seati'3Z.1 I h In all forms of'the inventionishown anddesCribedQhll ll of the fiuidmud that passes down throughihefdrill pipe reaches the bit through the turbineor bybeing by p'assed i [directlylto the bit'tlu'oughthehollowshaft; Iiiany' event, the rotation of the turbine is controlled and'helrl fairly. q constant, not in accordance iwith the; ,dhantity for niu'd pumped down oritspressure, as inrthe'piiorgart, but in accordance with the controlling factors"iwhiellirhayfbe referred to the conditions encountered by thelb'it, which between-the body 5a" and the, drill pipe'fic z, theivalvesfi will f be-moved up ordown so a s to 'open'orclose'theavalveiseatf 32, j and thus control the quantity of mud which 'bY-Pflssesf the'turbine. 7 a

To utilizefandicontrol the relative rotationbetw'e'en the? 1 body 5a;and}the drillipipe 6a, it is preferable toemploy a 'resilient'fme'ans such asfla'rubb'er sleeve-like member 37' securedatithe'tlowenendof, the'd'rilllpipe'ea 'as'indicated area and at the upper end offthebedy sans indicatedatf hebdd'y'fiaiand lth l drill pipe 'cz-isilimited by shoulders iii ilfon thebodyjSai 2 39.;f-Tlie amount of rotation lbe twe" and the drill pipe ea (FIGfl)? bottom.

This clockwisemotion of the bodyfia causesthe cam34 I t in the valve tomove in the biasslot 36 andlowerthe'valv V 33 down towards its seat-3,2. rWhen the maximum torque islencou'ntered, the v-alve"33"wil1 be-substahtially closed and substantially allof 'the'inud will pass through thepas sage 19, directly to the turbine-and little o'rnonef rof th x Q la?) h s valve seat'32,"and'the lower end of the drill pipe 6a carl ries a'ver'tically movable-valvememberfifito cooperate; a with the valve seat'32. {This valve member33 mayJ-have ascrew cam '34 secured therein, thei'e'ndsoff'which fit in 'When the' bit (not seenin' FIGA3) is.notjencounteringj heavy formation, there is little was relative rotation be I tween tlie casing 5n and the drill pipe 6a,"andthe}valve 33; will be in its wide-open position, as shown inFlG. 3,1 I Then most offthe mudfpassing' down through the drill 'pipef 6al'will pass'through'the valve SeatBZ-andfiithen down the? borelfi directly to the bit. However, when thelbitstrikes the heavy formatioh additional torquegis se 'upinuie, I" turbine by reason'ofthefact that thes'haft'htendsto'hold' back due to theengagement of the bit with the hard form'a-l 1 tion, andthebody 5a tendsjtorotate' in the opposite direc-t tion, that is, in a -clockwiseydirectionviewe'd from'them include the pressure against the bit, the torque variations as well as the rotational speed of the bit.

In all cases, the speed of the bit is regulated. With a properly controlled speed of the bit and a full fiow of mud thereto assured, wear of all parts is reduced to a minimum and the necessity for bit changing or other servicing is reduced to a minimum. Thus, the overall efiiciency of the tu-rbodrill will be increased.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail and preferred forms illustrated, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: 1

1. In a turbodrill,

'a drill body,

a tubular drill shaft concentrically mounted in said body,

a bit on said shaft having means to receive mud through said shaft,

turbine means coupled to said body for driving said shaft,

a drill pipe for conducting mud to said drill body, concentrically mounted to said drill body,

passage means within said drill body and drill shaft for conducting mud from said drill pipe to said turbine and to said tubular shaft and bit,

valve means coupled to said drill shaft and drill body cooperating with said passage means for controlling the flow of mud into said tubular shaft so as to bypass said turbine,

said drill body and said drill pipe being mounted for limited relative rotation,

said valve means being responsive to a change in rotation of said drill body relative to said drill pipe,

said turbine means responsive to the torque developed by the bit in the formation being drilled for rotating said drill body relative to said drill pipe.

2. In the turbodrill of claim 1,

in which said valve means closes to conduct mud to said turbine when said torque increases,

said valve means including cam means actuated by relative rotation of said drill body and drill pipe to change the said valve means.

References Qitcd by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,390,025 9/21 Drake 97 2,750,154 6/56 Boice 17526 2,865,602 12/58 Whittle 175- 107 2,879,032 3/59 Whittle 17526 BENJAMIN HER-SH, Primary Examiner.

BENJAMIN BENDETT, CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Examiners. 

1. IN A TURBODRILL, A DRILL BODY, A TUBULAR DRILL SHAFT CONCENTRICALLY MOUNTED IN SAID BODY, A BIT ON SAID SHAFT HAVING MEANS TO RECEIVE MUD THROUGH SAID SHAFT, TURBINE MEANS COUPLED TO SAID BODY FOR DRIVING SAID SHAFT, A DRILL PIPE FOR CONDUCTING MUD TO SAID DRILL BODY, CONCENTRICALLY MOUNTED TO SAID DRILL BODY, PASSAGE MEANS WITHIN SAID DRILL BODY AND DRILL SHAFT FOR CONDUCTING MUD FROM SAID DRILL PIPE TO SAID TURBINE AND TO SAID TUBULAR SHAFT AND BIT, VALVE MEANS COUPLED TO SAID DRILL SHAFT AND DRILL BODY COOPERATING WITH SAID PASSAGE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF MUD INTO SAID TUBULAR SHAFT SO AS TO BYPASS SAID TURBINE, SAID DRILL BODY AND SAID DRILL PIPE BEING MOUNTED FOR LIMITED RELATIVE ROTATION, SAID VALVE MEANS BEING RESPONSIVE TO A CHANGE IN ROTATION OF SAID DRILL BODY RELATIVE TO SAID DRILL PIPE, SAID TURBINE MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE TORQUE DEVELOPED BY THE BIT IN THE FORMATION BEING DRILLED FOR ROTATING SAID DRILL BODY RELATIVE TO SAID DRILL PIPE. 